Stamp pads



May 31, 1955 w. K. MUNSON STAMP PADS Filed June 10, 1954 u rATldII/IlalllfIIIllIIIIIIIIllI/IIIII i in-HE N w MN TU NM WK mv E N n Hw nited States This invention relates to inking pads, commonly referredto as stamp pads, used in inking hand stamps of various kinds andclasses. More particularly, the invention deals with the provision ofmeans on the pad proper of devices of this type and kind to facilitateautomatic movement of the inking pad int-o closed operative position inthe casing in the operation of reinking the reservoirs of the device, sothat this operation can be performed without soiling the hands.

Still more particularly, the invention deals with a means of thecharacter described which can be readily clipped into edge portions ofthe inking pad.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from thefollowing description, when taken together with the accompanyingdrawing, in which cer tain embodiments of the invention are disclosedand, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable referencecharacters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a stamp pad showing the cover in raisedposition, with part of the construction broken away.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing only part of thepad frame in section; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the closure devices which Iemploy.

This application is a continuation-in-part of a structure shown in myprior application, filed January 19, 1954, hearing Serial Number405,004.

In Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, I have indicated at a body portion, orcasing, of the stamp pad device, this body portion or casing beingpreferably formed of rubber so as to render the same flexible forpurposes later described. The casing 10 has a raised wall portion 11which is set inwardly with respect to the front and sides of the casingand in alinement with the rear of the casing and this raised wall has,at rear corner portions of the casing, apertures 12 to receive pivotpins 13 of a rectangular pad frame 14 of a flexible pad 15, part of theframe 14 being indicated in elevation in Fig. 2 of the drawing. Theforward edge portion of the frame 14 also includes laterally projectingpins 16, one of which is shown in section in Fig. 3 of the drawing andthese pins are adapted to enter apertures 17 in the raised wall 11 andalso extending into the base 10 of the casing, as will clearly appearfrom a consideration of Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Adjacent the apertures 17, the base 10 has recesses 18 for reception ofpad actuating elements 19, one of which is indicated detached in Fig. 4of the drawing. The base 10 of the casing has spaced wells, orreservoirs, 20, in which suitable absorbent pads are arranged and partof one of these pads is indicated at 21 in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Thepads 21 are inked when the stamp pad is in raised position and, then,ink is transferred from the pads 21 to the stamp pad 15 when the pad islowered to its normal position.

The elements 19 are both of the same construction so atent O a 2,709,415Patented May 31, 1955 that the brief description of one will apply toboth. Each element comprises a rectangular plate 22, having, at one sidethereof, an extension 23, upper and lower edges of the extension havinginturned grippers 24 adapted to be forced onto the edge portion of thepad 15, including the frame 14 thereof, in positioning the elements atthe forward corner portions of the pad 15 so that either upper and edgeportions 25, 25 of the plate can be disposed above the upper edge of thewall 11 and/or extend into the recess 18. This particular description isgiven by reason of the fact that it will be apparent that the pad 15 isreversibly mounted in the casing; thus, in reversing the pad, the edgeportions 25, at one time, can be upward and, in the next instance, willbe downward. The plate 22 includes a rectangular aperture 26 forreceiving the projecting pins 16, as clearly noted in Fig. 3 of thedrawing. It will be noted from Fig. 3 of the drawing that the wall 11has slits 27 opening into the apertures 17. These slits facilitateforcible downward movement of the pins into the apertures 17.

At this time, it may be well to point out that, in reinking the stamppad, the first step is to swing the inking pad 15 into raised positionon the pivots 12. This is accomplished by flexing the front cornerportions of the casing 10 downwardly, which results in ejecting theprotruding pins 16 from the apertures 17. Then, one of these pins can beengaged by the finger of the hand to swing the pad upwardly. After theinking operation has been performed, the inking pad 15 can be lowered byhand without touching the pad proper until the pins 16 rest upon theupper surface of the wall 11, after which, the cover 28 of the casing 10can be swung into its closed position, in which operation the cover 28strikes the elements 19 and forces said elements, including the forwardedge portion of the pad 15, downwardly until the pins 16 extend into theapertures 17. The inking pad 15 is now in condition for use andretaining against accidental displacement from the casing 10.

The cover 28 is pivoted to raised pivot portions 29 i at the rearcorners of the casing 10 and the wall 11, as well as part of the casing10, is recessed to receive a coil spring 30, which operates toautomatically move the cover 28 into raised position, when the cover isreleased by forward flexing of a catch 31 on the casing 10 to free anelongated head 32 on the cover 28.

By slightly modifying the normal structure of the casing 10 to providethe recesses 18 and the slits 27, my standardized type of pad structurecan be adapted to the new use by simply mounting actuating elements,such as the elements 19, directly on side portions of the pad 15adjacent forward corner portions of the pad. Fur ther, by fashioning theelements 19 in the manner described, the pad can be reversed in thecasing to facilitate use of both side surfaces of the inking pad 15.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a stamp pad device, comprising a casing, aninking pad pivotally and reversibly mounted in the casing and a hingedcover forming a closure for said inking pad, of a pair of actuatingelements secured to the inking pad at edge portions remote from thepivot edge portions of the pad, said elements comprising rectangularplates forming upwardly and downwardly extending actuating edgeportions, one side edge portion of each plate having, centrally thereof,projecting means adapted to operatively engage the inking pad inretaining the elements on said pad, said inking pad having protrudingpins at said last named edge portions, and said elements being aperturedto receive said pins.

2. The combination with a stamp pad device, comprising a casing, aninking pad pivotally and reversibly mounted in the casing and a hingedcover forming a closure for said inking pad, of a pair of actuatingelements secured to the inking pad at edge portions remote from thepivot edge portions of the pad, said elements comprising rectangularplates forming upwardly and downwardly extending actuating edgeportions, one side edge portion of each plate having, centrally thereof,projecting means adapted to operatively engage the inking pad inretaining the elements on said pad, said inking pad having protrudingpins at said last named edge portions, said elements being apertured toreceive said pins, and said means of each element comprising a pair ofgrippers.

3. The combination with a stamp pad device, comprising a casing, aninking pad pivotally and reversibly mounted in the casing and a hingedcover forming a closure for said inking pad, a pair of actuatingelements secured to the inking pad at edge portions remote from thepivot edge portions of the pad, said elements comprising rectangularplates forming upwardly and downwardly extending actuating edgeportions, one side edge portion of each plate having, centrally thereof,projecting means adapted to operatively engage the inking pad inretaining the elements on said pad, said inking pad having protrudingpins at said last named edge portions, said elements being apertured toreceive said pins, said means of each element comprising a pair ofgrippers, and corner portions of the casing, adjacent said elements,being recessed to receive said elements.

4. In stamp pads of the character described, an actuating element,comprising a rectangular plate, an aperture in said plate centrally withrespect to opposed upper and lower edge portions, one side edge portionof the plate, centrally thereof, having an outward projection, and saidprojection including a pair of grippers for operatively engaging asupport.

No references cited.

